Michael Brook Returns

Well, he never left. Although it’s been 14 years since he’s put out a proper album, Cobalt Blue, he’s been recording up a storm, producing and performing with people like the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Djivan Gasparyan, Hans Zimmmer and a host of others. But finally Brook has a new album of his own, rockpaperscissors.
It’s not out until July, but advance listens reveal that the wait may have been worth it. You can hear samples on Brook’s myspace site. He also composed the soundtrack to Al Gore’s film, An Inconvenient Truth. Michael has been a longtime favorite on Echoes and he was one of the earliest living room concerts when he gave a spontaneous performance in his apartment in London in 1989. He’s since played live with Djivan Gasparyan and has been interviewed numerous times.

Michael Brooks has got his political heart in the right place, although if I’m not mistaken he is actually a Canadian who, like Neil Young, felt compelled to speak out about the political mess to the south of Canada.

John, you left out my favorite Brooks collab, the one with L. Srinivas on electric mandolin. It’s called “Dream,” and I think cheap “used” copies are available on amazon.com.